This invention relates to an assembly of a metal pen clip and a metal pen top that is retained on an end of a pen barrel, more particularly to a molded unitary metal assembly of a pen clip and a pen top, which has a three-dimensional ornamental effect and a satisfactory clamping force.
The improvement of this invention is directed to a pen, which has a metal pen barrel, a metal pen top retained on an end of the pen barrel, and a pen clip that is connected fixedly to the pen top. It is desirable for pen consumers that an assembly of the pen top and the pen clip has a three-dimensional ornamental effect. Referring to FIG. 1, a first conventional pen is shown to include a molded unitary pen top 10 that is shaped as an eagle head, and a pen clip 11 that is secured to the pen barrel 13 by means of a hoop 12. The pen top 10 is formed with an integral tongue 14 that is press fitted within an end of the pen barrel 13. Exposure of the hoop 12 among the pen top 10, the clip 11 and the pen barrel 13 has an adverse affect on the aesthetic design of the pen. Furthermore, because the pen top 10 and the clip 11 are two separate members, the pen appears like a patchwork, which is not satisfactory for the consumers. Although a molded metal unitary assembly of a pen top and a pen clip has been proposed heretofore in order to solve this problem, a pen clip of such a casting assembly would be relatively thick due to the need for the casting process, thereby resulting in a poor clamping force. Referring to FIG. 2, a second conventional pen is shown to include a pressed metal assembly of a pen clip 20 and a pen top 21, which may be unitary. However, the shape of the pressed metal assembly is difficult to present a three-dimensional ornamental effect.
An object of this invention is to provide a pen with a molded unitary metal assembly of a pen clip and a pen top, which has a three-dimensional ornamental effect and a satisfactory clamping force.
According to this invention, a pen includes a vertical pen barrel, a mounting seat mounted fixedly on a top end of the pen barrel, and a molded metal unitary unit. The unit includes a pen top disposed swingably on the seat, and a pen clip extending integrally and downwardly from the pen top. The clip has a clamping end, which is movable relative to the pen barrel between a clamping position, where the clamping end presses against the pen barrel, and a releasing position, where the clamping end is spaced apart from the pen barrel. A biasing unit biases the clip to the clamping position.